NEWPORT County AFC goalkeeper Joe Day has heaped praise onto “Mr Newport” Michael Flynn after the manager celebrated his 100th game in charge of the Exiles at the weekend, writes Josh Thomas.

Flynn’s men have earned 42 wins since he took over from Graham Westley in March 2017 and he has transformed County from relegation candidates to promotion hopefuls.

Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Crawley Town ended a run of three consecutive league defeats and moved them up to 10th in the table ahead of today’s trip to Stevenage.

Day picked up his sixth clean sheet of the campaign and his first in the league since November 17, and he was full of praise for the manager.

“I’ve known him since he was a player here and then when he was a coach in the youth team,” said the 28-year-old.

“He’s made the step up to coaching the first team, now he’s managing the first team.”

“He’s Mr Newport, he knows the club from top to bottom. He’s been fantastic, you know what his character is like, he’s full of energy and that’s one of his key points as a manager.

“He puts that energy into the players and has a great man-to-man relationship with everyone.”

After signing from Peterborough United in 2014, Day is now the longest serving player at the club and he feels that 2018 has been a year to remember.

“It’s been a very positive year,” said the Exiles number one.

“Everything on and off the pitch has taken steps forward and that’s only positive.

“Everything off the field and on the pitch is moving in the right direction, it’s a good place to be.

“As a player it’s a great place to play your games, a great club to be part of. I’m enjoying it and I know the rest of the dressing room are as well.”

Despite a winless December in the league, which saw County drop out of the play-off places, Flynn is adamant that the last 12 months have been positive for the club.

“It’s been a really good year,” said the manager, whose side are now four points off the top-seven with a game in hand.

“When you’ve got people frustrated that we’re 10th in the league and in the third round of the FA Cup, it’s a big compliment considering we were almost relegated when I took over.

“I’ve said it before, there is no halfway with Newport people – it’s either glass half full or doom and gloom.

“The supporters are crucial for us and I feel their frustration, but we have to manage expectations.”